Prem Singh Tamang a.k.a P.S. Golay was on Monday sworn in as the new Chief Minister of Sikkim. His party, Sikkim Krantikari Morcha (SKM), won 17 of the 32 Assembly seats in the State, in the recently held Assembly polls. The Sikkim Democratic Front (SDF), which had ruled the State for 25 years, won 15.
Governor Ganga Prasad administered the Oath of Office to Mr. Golay in a grand ceremony at the Palzor stadium in Gangtok. Eleven other MLAs were sworn in as part of the Council of Ministers. This includes acting president of SKM Kunga Nima Lepcha, who won from two seats, Arun Uperti, MLA from Airthang, and Sonam Lama, who won for the Sangha seat in the Assembly which is reserved for monks.
Mr. Golay (51), who is the sixth Chief Minister of the tiny Himalayan State, started his career as a school teacher. He succeeded Pawan Kumar Chamling of the SDF who has the record of being the longest-serving Chief Minister of the country, ruling the State for five consecutive terms for a little over 24 years.
Mr. Golay was elected to the State Assembly in 1994 as an SDF candidate at the age of 26. He served as Minister of various departments for three consecutive terms till 2009.
A five-time MLA with SDF, differences between him and party president Mr. Chamling cropped up, and he formed the SKM in February 2013. In the State Assembly polls of 2014 the SKM got 10 seats.
Mr. Golay was convicted in a case and was released on August 10, 2018. After his release, Mr. Golay’s political events and rallies drew huge crowds. Speculations on whether the SKM president will take up the post of Chief Minister, or someone else from the party will, were set aside on Monday.
After being sworn in, Mr. Golay said his government would work to ensure peace in Sikkim, and for the welfare of all sections of people in the Himalayan State. / agencies